


Smash Club

by ottermo



Series: Predictions [5]
Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: Gen, Series 3 Predictions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-08 00:16:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14682486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ottermo/pseuds/ottermo
Summary: Toby sneaks out to attend a pro-synth demonstration. Sophie waits up for him.





	Smash Club

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Series 3 Predictions challenge on tumblr, but since I'm uploading late the promo material has probably contradicted it by now. Oh well, posting for posterity!

 

Sophie is waiting up for him, and Toby tries to look as disapproving as possible. “Soph, it’s way past your bedtime.”

She is wide-eyed. “What happened to your face?”

“Don’t worry about it.” He wishes she hadn’t reminded him. Everything hurts, his whole head is throbbing. And he’s going to have a black eye to explain in the morning, probably.

Sophie crosses her arms, blocking his path. “You went to the Smash Club. Mum told you it was too dangerous but you went anyway.”

Toby puts his finger as close to his lips as he dares. “Not so loud.”

“She’s going to find out eventually.”

“Yeah, so why rush it? Scoot, Soph, I need to get to the kitchen.”

She’s way ahead of him, scampering over to the freezer and digging out a pack of frozen peas before he even gets to the door. Toby’s impressed. “Thanks.”

“Have you washed that cut?”

“Not exactly.”

Sophie goes to the sink and wets a cloth, then brings it over with the peas. The reality of the situation is beginning to catch up to Toby now, and everything is a little too… spinny, for his liking. His little sister, who he’s beginning to suspect might actually be clairvoyant, guides him to a chair.

“When did you become a nurse?” Toby asks, muffled slightly against the frozen peas.

Sophie gives him a Look. “I watch TV. I know things.” Her face softens, goes back to being worried. “You could have been really  _properly_  hurt.”

“I know. But we saved a lot of Synths tonight. We needed as many people as possible.”

Sophie nods, solemnly. “Were you scared?”

“Me? C’mon.” He grins, or tries to. “I’m your big brother.”

“Yeah, but were you?”

He looks away. “Maybe a bit. But not as scared as the Synths they were going to— you know.”

“Smash.”

“Mmm. I just kept thinking how much more scared they must be, and then it was alright. Well, it wasn’t alright. But it was easier.”

Sophie seems satisfied with this. “Where have the Synths gone now?”

“Some of them went to Drummond Base, some got sent to Millican or Kennedy. Some of them just ran, we couldn’t stop them.”

“What about the Smash Club people?”

“They…” Toby flicks through a number of colourful mental pictures, most of which aren’t particularly child-friendly. “…went away.”

“Why didn’t the police arrest them?”

The answer to that is complicated. Toby opts for, “They didn’t get there quick enough.”

(Thank goodness, or he’d be sitting in a pretty different room right now, most likely.)

“I wish all the fighting would stop,” says Sophie, sounding world-weary. Or possibly just weary in general.

“Me too.” Toby gives her a gentle nudge. “You should go to bed.”

“So should you.”

“Touché.”

With considerable effort, he stands up. “You think these peas will mind having a sleepover with me?”

Sophie giggles, and he’s glad to hear the sound.

 


End file.
